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How To Cook Salmon

We are so happy to present Chef Peter Bayless, winner of BBC Masterchef 2006, who explains how to cook delicious salmon en papillote.

Salmon often isn’t in the spotlight at Christmas time but it is a popular alternative to Turkey. The fillet of salmon is cooked on a bed of fennel, shallot, tomatoes, garnish and baked in a folded parcel – an impressive dish for entertaining this season as the opening of the package releases all the wonderful aromas which guests will love.

Follow Peter’s step-by-step guide to cook salmon.

You will need the following:

Method:

Step 1. remove the skin from the fillet. This can be done by holding the fish with your left hand and moving the knife in-between the meat and the skin top to bottom with your right hand. Alternatively ask your fishmonger for your fillet to be skinned.Step 2. melt butter in the pan on a low heat. Using the basting brush, cover the fillet with the melted butter.Step 3. season the fillet with salt and pepper.Step 4. finally chop ½ shallot and ½ fennel. Lay these in the middle of the bottom half of the foil to make a bed for the fillet.Step 5. halve the cherry tomatoes and place this around the bed along with the parsley.Step 6. place the salmon fillet on the bed of finally chopped vegetables and garnish with a thin slice of lemon.Step 7. fold the top half of the foil down to meet the bottom. Roll the edges of the foil to create ‘en papillote’ or envelope effect. This is will stop the juices and flavour of the fish from leaking out. Make sure not to flatten the foil and it is left with some ‘puff’ to allow for the steaming process.Step 8. place the parcel on top of a griddle on a low to medium heat. Leave to steam for 15 minutes.Step 9. serve the foil parcel on a serving plate. Let your guests open the parcels to experience the full armour and flavour of the dish.Step 10. Enjoy
Recipe by The Cookery School at Braxted Park

Printable Recipe:

How To Cook Salmon

Step 1. remove the skin from the fillet. This can be done by holding the fish with your left hand and moving the knife in-between the meat and the skin top to bottom with your right hand. Alternatively ask your fishmonger for your fillet to be skinned.

Step 2. melt butter in the pan on a low heat. Using the basting brush, cover the fillet with the melted butter.

Step 3. season the fillet with salt and pepper.

Step 4. finally chop ½ shallot and ½ fennel. Lay these in the middle of the bottom half of the foil to make a bed for the fillet.

Step 5. halve the cherry tomatoes and place this around the bed along with the parsley.

Step 6. place the salmon fillet on the bed of finally chopped vegetables and garnish with a thin slice of lemon.

Step 7. fold the top half of the foil down to meet the bottom. Roll the edges of the foil to create 'en papillote' or envelope effect. This is will stop the juices and flavour of the fish from leaking out. Make sure not to flatten the foil and it is left with some 'puff' to allow for the steaming process.

Step 8. place the parcel on top of a griddle on a low to medium heat. Leave to steam for 15 minutes.

Step 9. serve the foil parcel on a serving plate. Let your guests open the parcels to experience the full armour and flavour of the dish.